It was a night for new faces on Merseyside as both teams unveiled January recruits, with Townsend handed his first start for Newcastle after moving from Tottenham, while Everton's Deadline Day signing Oumar Niasse carried out a watching brief from the stands.

Tom Cleverley came close to an early breakthrough but Elliot was on hand to paw his fifth-minute strike out, before Romelu Lukaku, having beaten the Toon stopper, sent a free-kick agonisingly over the target on 22 minutes.

Aaron Lennon says the Everton players' hard work in training paid off

Aaron Lennon says the Everton players' hard work in training paid off

Everton's early dominance, and patience, soon told as Lennon's quick swivel and shot wrong-footed Elliot and trickled in to give the hosts a deserved lead.

Seamus Coleman's neat cut back just before half-time looked to have set up Lennon for his second, but Chancel Mbemba's last-ditch intervention ensured the Magpies entered the interval trailing by just the single goal.

Ross Barkley celebrates after scoring his team's third goal

It proved to be Mbemba's last contribution as he left the field having picked up an injury, while Lukaku came off at half-time for Arouna Kone with a suspected back problem.

However, despite losing their leading striker, Everton continued to bombard the Newcastle goal, with Lennon again presented with a chance to double his tally, only for Elliot to deny him with his feet on 51 minutes, before Kone spurned the rebound.

Elliot was in inspired form, singlehandedly keeping Everton at bay. First he produced a fine save to tip Barkley's goal-bound effort onto the crossbar and then prevented Jonjo Shelvey's header from looping in shortly before the hour.

Paul Dummett of Newcastle shoots at goal

Cleverley's near-post free-kick was then turned onto the post by Elliot and Newcastle looked to punish the hosts' profligacy when substitute Aleksandar Mitrovic failed to turn Moussa Sissoko's cross home on 66 minutes.

Everton soon wrestled back control and looked set to see out the game until Barkley made the result safe with an 88th-minute penalty after substitute Rolando Aarons brought down Lennon.

He then capped his landmark day in style with a cheeky chip from the spot after Newcastle substitute Lascelles was sent off for bringing him down.